CIS Newsletter

No. 189
June 2005

CIS Newsletter celebrates 17 years & still going strong! Bringing news to over 137 countries in the CIS Network

Contents

  1. Editorial
  2. Hot Topic: Winds of Change Meeting in Geneva on 17-18 May 2005: CIS - Future Perfect?
  3. Outcomes of the Meeting- including formation of Working Groups Presentations - including IALI
  4. Closing speech of the Geneva Meeting from Assane Diop
  5. List of Participants at the Geneva meeting
  6. FOCUS: Promoting Health and Safety as A Key Goal of The Corporate Social Responsibility
  7. News from around the World... Canada, ILO, Poland, Russia, Spain, UK and USA
  8. New BOOK... Managing Health and Safety by Mike Bateman
  9. OSHE web sites
  10. Diary of Events

Editorial

Dear CIS Colleagues

Good to hear from many of you this last month and especially good to see so many at the 1st CIS Regional Meeting held in Geneva 17-18 May 2005 which was held because CIS members wanted this meeting. Dubbed the "Wind of Change Meeting" BEFORE the event - and it certainly lived up to its name!

You will find write-ups BELOW in this edition regarding some of the talks, debates and most of the OUTCOMES AND ACTIONS from the Geneva Meeting - CERTAINLY an unknown commodity from most of the CIS meetings that I have attended over many years. No less than 4 Working Parties have been set up! These are changing and interesting times and CIS Network must look to the future... time to discuss and shape the OSH information world! See details below. So by the time of the CIS Annual Meeting in September in Orlando there will many more topics to discuss by those attending.

Many thanks to you who have sent emails and news. As always these are always gratefully received and are used as soon as possible.

If you are planning any publications, conferences, seminars or training courses, then please send your details to me so that we can share your efforts with others. Don't forget to send me your latest news! It is amazing how much the CIS Newsletter content gets re-used around the world.

You know I welcome ideas for inclusion in the future editions of this Newsletter. Let me know if there are any areas you would wish to see covered in future.

More of you will be getting the CIS Newsletter by email... I have checked against the published list that CIS HQ provided and where an email number exists will send the Newsletter to that address and cross you off the mailing list for the printed version. Remember you will get the news at least 3 weeks earlier than the printed version!

NOT HEARD FROM ANYONE SAYING THEY REALLY NEED THE PRINTED VERSION!!!
IF FOR ANY REASON YOU STILL NEED THE PRINTED VERSION PLEASE LET ME KNOW
MY CONTACT DETAILS ARE BELOW.

Remember you can see CIS Newsletter on the web site www.sheilapantry.com/cis where back issues are stored.

Also on emails... Some of you, who have changed your email number and addresses in recent months, please let CIS Headquarters know your new email/address and also let me know as well - otherwise you will not get the CIS Newsletter or other news.

Remember >>>>
Surviving in 2005... By promotion, publicity and telling the World that CIS and its network exists!

All good wishes to you, your families and your colleagues.

Sheila Pantry, OBE

85 The Meadows, Todwick, Sheffield S26 1JG, UK
Tel: +441909 771024
Fax: +441909 772829
Email: sp@sheilapantry.com
www.oshworld.com
www.sheilapantry.com

CIS Network of National and Collaborating Centres... Working together and Helping Each Other...

HOT TOPIC

1st CIS Regional Meeting held in Geneva 17-18 May 2005

Winds of Change: CIS Future Perfect?

The first CIS Regional meeting took place with the European Mediterranean CIS Members meeting in Geneva on the 17-18 May 2005. List of attendees below. This meeting looked to take forward not only the ideas that were the outcomes of the Workshops held at the 2004 CIS Annual Meeting in Brussels but also to discuss other new and emerging ideas.

Of particular note is that this is the first time a meeting had been called for by the CIS Members, so was an usual start to the meeting.

Members were expecting a "Wind of Change" meeting and that is exactly what was achieved. Very positive thoughts, often brutal truths were expressed and good action packed discussions!

We had an introductory presentation "ILO and Safe Work: Welcome and News" from Dr Jukka Takala, Infocus Programme on Safety and Health at Work and the Environment, ILO.

Jukka discussed the ILO Global Strategy on Occupational Safety and Health and especially the Promotional Framework for Occupational Safety and Health (OSH) that is being discussed as the 4th item on the agenda of the forthcoming ILO Meeting 31 May - 16 June.
(I have put some more notes below for you to get this report and study it and make sure that it is known in your country).

He also looked at the Model policies, strategies, programmes and profiles of a number of countries - Australia, Denmark, Finland, Hungary, Thailand, South Africa, UK and the USA, emphasizing that Labour Inspection and basic OSH Services are the underpinning foundation stones for success for the following:

To develop a National OSH Profile the following is needed

One of the major tools is The ILO-OSH 2001 Management system is now available in 21 languages and is being extensively adopted by countries across the world. France for instance, has declared that it is the only OSH management system to be used in France.

Promotion, awareness and raising standards are the keys to success; Jukka also drew attention to the ever-growing sources of information on the Safework web site. The OSH Encyclopaedia www.ilo.org/safework/info/databases/lang--en/WCMS_113329/index.htm available free of charge - Good news that it is going to be updated!

See for yourself the range of publications on www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework

And links to www.ilo.org/cis

He reminded everyone to start to plan for ILO World Day of Safety and Health 28 April 2006.
Jukka Takala looks forward to a revitalised CIS with actions and initiatives in the next year.

So... Over to you CIS Members!

CIS Overview from Emmert Clevenstine

This was followed by a talk from outgoing Head of CIS Dr Emmert Clevenstine who gave an overview on CIS in its current two years 2004-2005 and beyond. This included:

There is a publication that is worth reading " Sixth item on the agenda of the ILO meeting 31 May - 16 June 2005: ILO standards-related activities in the area of occupational safety and health: An in-depth study for discussion with a view to the elaboration of a plan of action for such activities (general discussion based on an integrated approach"

The Report's Contents page (unusually placed on the last page!) contains:

Report of the Committee on Occupational Safety and Health

1

Resolution concerning occupational safety and health

38

Conclusions concerning ILO standards-related activities in the area of occupational safety and health - A global strategy

39

The full details can be seen at www.ilo.org/public/english/standards/relm/ilc/ilc91/pdf/pr-22.pdf

Emmert then listed the various products and services:

The future of CIS and its activities

The outcomes of the Two-day CIS meeting programme

During the two day programme had four major sessions

What CIS Members are thinking...

Sheila Pantry gave a summary of some CIS Members' thinking and outcomes of the Workshops held in Brussels in September 2004 - partly to refresh Members' memories and also for those Members present in Geneva who did not attend the Brussels meeting, to understand what the aims and objectives were of this May 2005 meeting that had been called for by Members. She outlined the Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats of the CIS Network and called for a strong and urgent need to ReBrand, Relaunch and Revitalise CIS in its many activities and ensure that there is a vigorous, ongoing publicity and promotion programme across the world.

Annick Virot, CIS HQ Staff member gave a presentation picking up the proposals from the Brussels meeting and others. Her presentation covered:

The Future and Priorities

The discussions that followed gave a real opportunity to start and determine what is needed as priorities to create the new CIS Network.

Four Working Groups (WG) were formed as follows with CIS members who volunteered to start the work immediately:

WG 1 on Publicity, Promotion and Communications
Members: Sheila Pantry (UK), Irja Laamanen (Finland), Roman Litvyakov (Russian Federation) and Annick Virot (CIS HQ).
The Draft paper is already being discussed within the WG and it is then expected to be discussed with CIS members present at the Geneva meeting, then finalised for presentation at the CIS Annual Meeting in September in Orlando.

WG 2 on the development of the CIS Portal and the use of the CIS Logo on Centres web pages
Members: Katalin Balogh (Hungary), Roman Litvyakov (Russian Federation), Andras Szucs and Begonia Casaneuva (both CIS HQ).
The Draft paper is expected to be discussed with CIS members present at the Geneva meeting them finalised for the CIS Annual Meeting in September 2005 in Orlando.

WG 3 on CIS Glossary and Thesaurus
Members: Katalin Balogh (Hungary), Andras Szucs and Gabor Sandi (both CIS HQ).
The Draft paper is expected then to be discussed within the WG and it is then expected to be discussed then with CIS members present at the Geneva meeting, then finalised for presentation at the CIS Annual Meeting in September 2005 in Orlando.

WG 4 on Training and E-Learning
Members: Sheila Pantry (UK), Irja Laamanen (Finland), Roman Litvyakov (Russian Federation) Catherine Blotiere (France), Maria Castriotta (Italy) Boryana Barbukova (Bulgaria) and Annick Virot (CIS HQ).
The Draft paper is already being discussed within the WG and it is expected to be discussed then with CIS members present at the Geneva meeting, then finalised for presentation at the CIS Annual Meeting in September 2005 in Orlando.

CIS Members not going to Orlando to the Annual Meeting and who were not present at the Geneva Meeting will receive copies of the draft papers for their comments. All these actions have tight timescales and it is hoped that ALL CIS Members will put time to thinking about these ideas and proposals and be willing to put them into action.

Editor's note
My own personal view is that if we do NOT start to move things along NOW and with some urgency CIS will be a name only with no substance.

On the social side...

...of this intensive but productive meeting... Emmert Clevenstine who has been Head of CIS for some years retires on 31 July 2005, so this was the last time many of us would see Emmert, so we took nibbles and drinks from our own countries and aided by the ever-willing CIS HQ staff held a party after the first day of the meeting. Emmert was given a token gift from the CIS Network to reflect two of his hobbies, books on "Designing Great Beers: The ultimate guide to brewing Classic Beer Styles" and "Babylonian Magic and Sorcery" about cuneiform. He was also given a card containing messages of good wishes not only from CIS Members present at the meeting, but also from many CIS colleagues around the world... (the power of technology helps!) and presents from other CIS colleagues and friends.

We wish Emmert a long, healthy and happy retirement!

European Agency for Safety and Health and Work in 2005 and beyond

Finn Sheye, The Agency Network Manager reported on the activities and future trends of the European Agency for Safety and Health and Work that was set up by the European Commission in 1996.

Currently the Agency's activities involves:

For more details check out the Agency website http://osha.europa.eu

Closing speech by Mr. Assane Diop

Executive Director, Social Protection Sector to the 1st Regional Consultation of European and Mediterranean CIS Centres
(ILO, Geneva, 18 May 2005, Room IV)

Delegates,

I regret that in these busy days before the International Labour Conference I have not been able to attend any of your working sessions, because the network of Centres is recognized by this Office and by its constituents as one of the most important features of CIS's programme. I am happy to at least have the opportunity to congratulate you on the successful conclusion of this consultation.

This is a rather special event. The normal course of events here is that the Office defines the time and place of meetings and then invites participants. CIS has the reputation of doing things differently, and I understand that it is you the participants who in fact requested this meeting and worked with the CIS on its organization. I would like to thank you especially for the willingness to devote your own money as well as your time to make this event a reality. I understand that some of you have said that they heard the winds of change blowing.

The success of coming changes - perhaps I should say renewal, depends on several things.

First, on the quality of dialogue among your organizations. It is particularly satisfying and encouraging to see both the oldest and newest Centres, as well as representation from the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work in Bilbao.

One aspect of the success of this meeting is its contribution to the elaboration of our programme of activities.

The ILO is now defining its work plan for the biennium 2006-2007, and all the elements, all the ideas, all the initiatives which can contribute to its construction are welcome. We cannot promise to incorporate every proposal, but I can assure you that all will be given the serious attention that they deserve.

Another aspect of this success is innovation. For years, you and other Centres have been calling for the organization of regional meetings, on the grounds that regional meetings are closer to the real world and that the Centres of one region or one linguistic community often have similar needs and thus can profit from similar programmes. With this meeting, we have begun responding to this call. I hope that in future years, in addition to the regular annual general meetings, it will be possible to organize at least one regional meeting per year in another part of the world. I can think particularly of the Arabic-speaking countries of the Maghreb and Mashreq, of Central and South America that share the Spanish language, or of our colleagues in the French-speaking countries of Africa.

We hope that such regional meetings would result in regional alliances or regional information networks. It would be appropriate to recall the conclusions of the Occupational Safety and Health Committee of the International labour Conference of 2003, that such networks would be a key component of an international hazard alert system.

The information centres that you represent are an essential element of the system that brings life-saving information from those who have it to those who need it. With its 137 Centres, CIS is at the centre of a truly worldwide network for the provision of occupational safety and health information, while you are the front-line providers of the information on the shop floor and in the field. You are essential to the fight against inequality of access to occupational safety and health information. I would also like to recall that you are helping to bridge the digital divide, and thus to reduce the dislocation between the rich and the poor countries.

Viewing the conclusion of your work, I feel that the Centres network will emerge strengthened from this new sort of consultation. Many rhetorical clichés have justifiable uses, and it is hard to avoid saying that this is not so much an end but a beginning, a new stage in your collaboration with CIS, with your fellow Centres and with the populations that you serve. I hope that you will long maintain the renewed energy and enthusiasm that are evident in this room.

In declaring this Regional Consultation of European and Mediterranean CIS Centres closed, I thank you for two days of intense effort, and wish you a safe return to you homes.

Allocution de clôture de M. Assane Diop

Directeur exécutif Secteur de la protection sociale Bureau international du Travail 18 mai 2005

Dans le cours normal des choses de notre grande maison, c'est en principe le Bureau international du Travail (BIT) qui invite les délégués et non pas l'inverse. Or, je crois comprendre que c'est vous, dans ce cas particulier, qui avez pris l'initiative de demander cette réunion et que le BIT n'a fait que répondre à votre requête. C'est donc pour moi un événement inhabituel et une expérience bien spéciale et je tiens à vous remercier d'avoir fait preuve d'initiative et d'avoir consacré du temps et de l'argent pour que cette consultation européenne et méditerranéenne des Centres nationaux du CIS soit couronnée de succès et pave la voie à une ère nouvelle. Certains d'entre vous ont dit qu'ils entendaient souffler le vent du changement. Ce changement est perceptible et je m'en félicite.

Le succès de ce changement, voire de ce renouveau, tient à plusieurs éléments. Premièrement, la qualité du dialogue. Il est particulièrement satisfaisant et encourageant de voir, ici présents, plusieurs centres parmi les plus anciens, de nombreux centres de création plus récente et aussi les représentants de l'Organisation arabe du Travail, organisme de tutelle du tout nouveau Centre régional de Damas en Syrie et le représentant de l'Agence européenne de sécurité et de santé au travail de Bilbao en Espagne.

Un des autres aspects du succès de cette réunion est sa contribution à l'élaboration de notre programme d'activités. Le BIT est en train de définir son plan de travail pour les deux prochaines années - pour la période biennale 2006-2007 - et tous les éléments, toutes les idées, toutes les initiatives qui pourront contribuer à la construction de ce nouvel édifice sont les bienvenus. Nous ne promettons pas de donner une suite favorable à chaque proposition ou à chaque suggestion faites au cours des deux derniers jours, mais je peux d'ores et déjà vous donner l'assurance que vos préconisations seront examinées avec tout le sérieux qu'elles méritent.

Autre facette de ce succès: l'innovation. Depuis des années, les Centres demandent l'organisation de réunions régionales au motif que les réunions régionales sont plus en prise sur la réalité et que des centres d'une même région ou d'une même communauté linguistique (je pense à nos collègues arabophones des pays du Maghreb et du Mashrek, ou encore à nos collègues d'Amérique centrale et latine qui ont l'espagnol en partage, ou encore à nos collègues des pays francophones d'Afrique, etc) ont des besoins souvent similaires et peuvent donc profiter de programmes similaires eux aussi. C'est la première fois, cette année, que ce vœu est exaucé et qu'une consultation régionale a lieu. Nous espérons qu'au cours du prochain biennium, il sera possible d'organiser au moins une consultation régionale par an dans d'autres parties du monde, en plus des réunions annuelles traditionnelles auxquelles tous les centres du réseau participent.

Ces réunions régionales devraient déboucher à terme sur des alliances ou des réseaux régionaux d'information. Et pour reprendre les conclusions de la Commission de la sécurité et de la santé au travail à la Conférence internationale du Travail de 2003, ces réseaux régionaux pourraient servir « de cheville ouvrière à un système mondial d'alerte sur les dangers ».

Les centres d'information que vous représentez sont un maillon essentiel du système qui permet aux détenteurs de l'information de la mettre à la disposition de ceux qui en ont besoin. J'aime dire qu'avec ses 137 Centres, le CIS est un réseau mondial d'information en sécurité et santé au travail et que vous êtes le service de proximité ou l'antenne locale de ce réseau mondial. J'aime aussi dire que vous êtes des acteurs clefs dans la lutte contre les inégalités d'accès à l'information en sécurité et santé au travail. Je voudrais aussi rappeler que vous êtes, à votre manière, des acteurs clefs dans la lutte contre la fracture informationnelle et, par là, dans la lutte contre la fracture sociale entre pays riches et pays pauvres.

A l'heure de clôturer vos travaux, j'ai le sentiment que le réseau sort renforcé de cette consultation d'un nouveau type et que, pour vous, le travail de collaboration avec le CIS, avec les autres Centres et avec la population que vous desservez va se poursuivre avec une énergie et un enthousiasme renouvelés.

Je vous remercie de votre attention.

CONSULTATION OF EUROPEAN MEDITERRANEAN CIS FOCAL POINTS
GENEVA, 17-18 May 2005

LIST OF PARTICIPANTS

NATIONAL CENTRES

COUNTRY

REPRESENTATIVE

NC BULGARIA

Ms Boryana BARBUKOVA
Information Specialist
Responsible for CIS activities
Ministry of Health
National Centre of Public Health Protection
15, Iv. Ev. Geshov boul.
1431 SOFIA

Tel.: (+359 2) 954 9390
Fax: (+359 2) 954 9390

cisbg@nchmen.government.bg
b.barkukova@nchmen.government.bg

NC EGYPT (REP. OF)

Ms Maha ALY RAKHA
Responsible for CIS
National Institute of Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH)
CIS National Centre
156 El-Hegz Str.
P.O. Box 2208
El-Horreya
HELIOPOLIS CAIRO

Tel.: (+20 2) 623 9176
Fax: (+ 20 2) 623 9177

niosh@idsc.net.eg
maha_rakha2000@yahoo.com

NC FINLAND

Ms Irja LAAMANEN
Director
Information Service Centre
Työterveyslaitos
Finnish Institute of Occupational Health
Topeliuksenkatu 41 a A
HELSINKI 00250

Tel.: (+358) 30 47 41
Fax: (+358) 30 47 42548

irja.laamanen@ttl.fi

NC FRANCE

Ms Catherine BLOTIERE
Chargée d'études documentaires
Institut national de recherche et de sécurité (INRS)
Département documentation
30, rue Olivier Noyer
F-75680 PARIS Cedex 14

Tel.: (+33 1) 4044 3000
Fax: (+33 1) 4044 3099

info@inrs.fr

NC HUNGARY

Ms Katalin BALOGH
Responsible for CIS activities
Head of the Department of Information and Analysis
Public Foundation for Research on Occupational Safety
Postafiók 7
H-1281 BUDAPEST

Tel.: (+36 1) 394 2922
Fax: (+36 1) 394 2932

balogh@mkk.org.hu

NC ITALY

Ms Maria CASTRIOTTA
Dipartimento Documentazione, Informazione e Formazione
Istituto superiore per la Prevenzione e la Sicurezza del Lavoro (ISPESL)
Centro Nazionale CIS
Via Alessandria 220/e
00198 ROME

Tel.: (+39 06) 442 50648 - 442 51017
Fax: (+39 06) 442 50972

castriotta.doc@ispesl.it

NC NETHERLANDS

Ms Elly GOOS
CIS Contact Officer
Ministry of Social Affairs and Employment
Library and Documentation Centre (BIDOC)
CIS Department
P.O. Box 90801
2509 LV THE HAGUE

Tel.: (+31 70) 333 4575
Fax: (+31 70) 333 4022

cgoos@minszw.nl

NC POLAND

Ms Barbara SZCZEPANOWSKA
Responsible for CIS activities
Central Institute for Labour Protection
National Research Institute (CIOP-PIB)
Centre for Scientific Information and Documentation
CIS National Centre
Ul. Czerniakowska 16
00-701 WARSZAWA

Tel.: (+48 22) 623 3690 - 623 3683
Fax: (+48 22) 623 3693 - 623 3695

baszc@ciop.pl
oinip@ciop.pl

NC ROMANIA

Ms Maria PURCHEREA
Responsable des activités CIS
Chef du Service d'information et de documentation
Institutul National de Cercetare Dezvoltare pentru
Protectia Muncii (INCDPM)
Str. General Budisteanut 15
010773 BUCURESTI

Tel.: (+ 4 021) 313 3058
Fax: (+ 4 021) 315 7822

cis_inpm@rnc.ro

NC RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Mr. Evgeny Nikolaevich RESHETNIKOV
Head of NIC and Foreign Relations Department
Mr. Nikolay Nikolaevich NOVIKOV
First Deputy Director
All-Russia Occupational Safety Centre (VCOT)
CIS National Centre
4th Parkovaya ul., 29
105043 MOSCOW

Tel.: (+7 095) 164 93 64
Fax: (+7 095) 367 13 09

vcot@mail.ru

NC SPAIN

Ms Helena GOY
Coordinadora CIS
Instituto de Salud Carlos III
Biblioteca Nacinal de Ciencias de la Salud
Pabellón 8
Ciudad Universitaria
28040 MADRID

Tel.: (34 91) 455 0086
Fax: (34 91) 455 0171

hgoy@isciii.es

NC SWEDEN

Mr Peter LINDGREN
Library Director
Arbetslivsinstitutet
National Institute for Working Life
113 91 STOCKHOLM

Tel.: (+46 8) 656 3025 - 619 6846
Fax: (+46 8) 619 6700

peter.lindgren@arbetslivsinstitutet.se

NC SWITZERLAND

Ms Marianne GALLAUER
Suva
Bibliothek Rösslimatt
Fluhmattstrasse 1
Postfach 4358
6002 LUZERN

Tel: (+41 41 419 5085
Fax: (+41 41) 419 5958

marianne.gallauer@suva.ch

CIS COLLABORATING CENTRES

COUNTRY

REPRESENTATIVE

CC HUNGARY

Dr Ferenc KUDÁSZ
National Institute of Occupational Health of the
"Fodor József" National Centre of Public Health - NCPH
P.O. Box 22
1096 BUDAPEST

Tel.: (+36 1) 476 1100
Fax: (+36 1) 215 6891

ncph@fjokk.hu
duncsakne@fjokk.hu

CC RUSSIAN FEDERATION

Mr Roman LITVYAKOV
Responsible for CIS activities
Institute of Industrial Safety, Labor Protection and Social Partnership
OSH Information Centre
Konnogvardeiskiy Avenue, 19
190098 SAINT PETERSBURG

Tel.: (+7 812) 571 8812
Fax: (+7 812) 571 8812

roman@safework.ru

Regional CC SYRIA
Arab Institute for Occupational Health and Safety
P.O. Box 5770
DAMASCUS

Tel.: (+963 11) 312 26 16
Fax: (+963 11) 312 26 17

a.l.o.alsalameh@net.sy

Mr Adib HUMSI
Head of the ALO Permanent Delegation in Geneva

Mrs Amira HILAL
Permanent Delegation of the ALO Delegation in Geneva

44, rue de Lausanne
CH-1201 GENEVA

Tel.: (+022) 732 5806
Fax: (+022) 732 5417

alo_geneva@bluewin,ch

OBSERVERS

COUNTRY

REPRESENTATIVE

UNITED KINGDOM

Mrs Sheila PANTRY
Sheila Pantry & Associates Ltd.
85, The Meadows
Todwick
SHEFFIELD S26 1 JG
Tel.: (44) 1909 77 1024
Fax: (44) 1909 77 2829
sp@sheilapantry.com
www.oshworld.com
www.sheilapantry.com
www.oshupdate.com

EUROPEAN AGENCY FOR SAFETY AND HEALTH AT WORK

Mr Finn SHEYE
Gran Via 33
48009 BILBAO, SPAIN
sheye@osha.eu.int
 

INTERNATIONAL LABOUR OFFICE
ILO OFFICIALS, GENEVA

SAFEWORK

Dr Jukka TAKALA
Director
In Focus Programme on Safety and Health at Work and the Environment
CIS

Dr Emmert CLEVENSTINE
Chief International Occupational Safety and Health Information Centre (CIS)

Mr Gabor SANDI
Ms Annick VIROT
Ms Begoña CASANUEVA
Ms Chantal DUFRESNE
Mr Andras SZUCS
Ms Françoise ASPER-JIMAJA
Mr Christian BOLUFER
Ms Marie-Josée CHARLIOT
Mr Michel BUET
Ms Françoise RIETTE

IALI - International Association of Labour Inspection presented by Malcolm Gifford

At the European Regional Meeting Malcolm Gifford gave a talk about IALI and its activities. It was clear that the CIS Network and IALI Network should work more closely together.

The International Association of Labour Inspection was established in 1972 in order to provide professional support to labour inspection organisations throughout the world. The aims of the Association are:

The IALI Statutes were first adopted on 20th June 1972 and were last amended on 19th June 2002. They are reproduced on this website.

Since its inception, IALI has worked in close partnership with the International Labour Office (ILO). In 1978 the ILO conferred upon IALI the status of a Non-Governmental International Consultative Organisation.

The next meeting is the ILO CONFERENCE supported by IALI and other organizations: Fair Globalization - Safe Workplace - Policies, Strategies and Practices for Sustainable Development to be held October 24 - 26 2005, Congress Center Düsseldorf, Germany
More information is obtainable from www.ilo.org, or from Mr. Gerd Albracht, ILO SafeWork, Geneva, at Email: albracht@ilo.org or from Mr. Bernd Treichel at Email: treichel@ilo.org

Membership

IALI, the International Association of Labour Inspection aims to provide support to and learn from our membership, currently there are over 100 members from countries all over the world. For details of members and contacts see the IALI website.

Membership is open to any group of Labour Inspectors and Labour Departments of any State or Region of a Federal State that is responsible for the planning or direction of Labour Inspectors or for inspecting compliance with labour legislation (Article 4a of the Statutes). Details of how to apply for membership and of existing members are given on this website.

As from 1st January 2003, annual membership fees range from 550 Swiss Francs (SF) to 2200 SF depending on the size and status of the individual member. The 'How to apply' page on the web site gives more information.

In recent years, conferences have been held in Costa Rica, Bulgaria, Ireland, Macao-China and Mauritius. Further details about past and future conferences etc are given on the 'Events' page of this website.

IALI also aims to provide regular professional updating and information for its members through this website and its 'Forum' newsletters, which are published each year and cover a range of topics of general interest to the membership.

2005 triennial Congress and General Assembly

We are now preparing for our next triennial Congress and General Assembly, the dates for which are 13-15 June 2005. As in previous years, these events will take place during the third week of the International Labour Conference to be held in the ILO building in Geneva.

The 2-day Congress will separately consider occupational safety and health, and other labour inspection issues. We want the programme to reflect the concerns and priorities of our members.

On the 3rd day we will hold our General Assembly, at which a programme of work for the following 3 years will be agreed and an Executive Committee will be elected to oversee and manage the business of the Association on your behalf.

The administration of IALI is undertaken by an Executive Committee, details of which are available on the 'Officials' page of this website, and a Secretariat. Further information about the functions and activities of the Association can be obtained from the Secretariat, whose address is:

Malcolm Gifford, IALI Secretariat, SafeWork, International Labour Office, 4, route des Morillons, CH-1211 Geneva 22, SWITZERLAND | Tel: (+) 41 22 799 6689 | Email: gifford@ilo.org

ILO Meeting 31 May - 16 June
IV(1)
Promotional framework for occupational safety and health
Fourth item on the agenda of the International Labour Conference 2005
International Labour Office Geneva

The Promotional framework for occupational safety and health report is the 4th item on the agenda of the forthcoming ILO Meeting 31 May -16 June. I urge you to read it as a matter of urgency so that you had an overview of what is happening. Even if you are not attending at least you will be aware of the current discussions.

At its 91st Session (2003), the International Labour Conference held a general discussion based on an integrated approach on "ILO standards-related activities in the area of occupational safety and health." 1 The resulting "Conclusions concerning ILO standards-related activities in the area of occupational safety and health - A global strategy" (Conclusions) 2 provide that a new instrument establishing a promotional framework in the area of occupational safety and health (OSH) should be developed on a priority basis. As a follow-up thereto, the Governing Body decided in November 2003 to place this item on the agenda of the 93rd Session (2005) of the International Labour Conference.

One of the paragraphs on page 9 jumped out for me... the highlights in red are mine (Your Editor)

Para 20. One of the key issues addressed, and about which there was a particularly clear consensus, was the need for an increased general awareness of the importance of OSH. There was also a high level of political commitment for effective implementation of national OSH systems. Efforts to tackle OSH problems, whether at national or international levels, are often dispersed and fragmented and as a result do not have the level of coherence necessary to have effective impact. It was thus agreed that there was a need to give higher priority to OSH at international, national and enterprise levels and to engage all social partners in initiating and sustaining mechanisms for a continued improvement of national OSH systems.

Contents

Page

Introduction

1

Chapter I. Decent work - SafeWork

3

Chapter II. The pillars of a global strategy for occupational safety and health

7

Safety culture

7

A management systems approach

9

At the enterprise level

9

At the national level

9

National OSH Programmes

10

National OSH profiles

11

Placing OSH high on national political agendas

12

ILO technical cooperation and assistance for national OSH programmes

12

National OSH systems

13

Tripartite consultation mechanism or body

13

Government policy and commitment

14

OSH legislation

14

Designated OSH authorities

14

Inspection systems and ensuring compliance

14

Information and training

15

OSH services

15

Collection and analysis of data on the national OSH situation

16

Awareness raising and promotion of safety culture

16

OSH research institutions

16

Links with worker injury insurance schemes and institutions

17

Chapter III. National occupational safety and health programmes in practice

19

Purpose

19

Structure

19

High-level endorsement

19

Duration

20

Goals and targets

20

Consultations

21

Substantive features

21

Safety culture and self-regulation

21

Focus on high-risk industries and factors

22

OSH management systems approach

22

Strengthening capacity for situation analyses

23

Chapter IV. Main features of a possible international instrument

25

Design concepts

25

Proposed features

26

Promoting a management systems approach at the national level

26

Promoting a safety culture

26

Structure and type of instrument

26

National OSH programmes

27

National OSH systems

27

Reporting and follow-up mechanisms

28

Awareness raising

28

Questionnaire

29

Annex I. Recent national OSH programmes - Summary overview

33

Annex II. Conclusions concerning ILO standards-related activities in the area of occupational safety and health - A global strategy

49

Annex III. ILO OSH instruments - Ratifications and status

54

Annex IV. Possible elements of a national OSH profile

57

The complete document is available in all the ILO official languages (English, French, German, Spanish, Arabic, Chinese, Russian)

www.ilo.org/public/english/protection/safework/promoframe.htm

FOCUS

Promoting Health and Safety as A Key Goal of The Corporate Social Responsibility Agenda: Executive Summary

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) has many definitions but, in essence, it is based on the integration of economic, social, ethical and environmental concerns in business operations. The major social concerns include the welfare of the key stakeholders in the business, especially employees. Thus, occupational safety and health (OHS) forms an integral part of CSR and this is confirmed by its inclusion in all the major measurement and reporting guidelines and tools developed for CSR. An important aspect of CSR is that it requires business, alongside its profit maximising function, to maximise its positive impact on society. It therefore requires that business goes beyond compliance.

The UK Health and Safety Commission/Executive (HSC/E) is looking to business to move beyond compliance with health and safety regulations to continuously improve all aspects of the working environment that result in a workforce that is 'happy, healthy and here'. It recognises that, as a result of progress in improving occupational safety, the major challenge for the UK in improving OHS lies in improving occupational health. Issues of occupational health are less amenable to regulation than occupational safety. CSR is therefore a potential valuable trend for the HSC/E to promote OHS.

This study was commissioned in order to consider the current thinking within CSR with respect to OHS, the views of the key CSR players on OHS in the CSR agenda and the actions that the HSC/E could take to raise the profile of OHS in the CSR agenda.

Study Findings

The study established that CSR is gaining in influence and, as the CSR movement comes of age, it is becoming mainstreamed in the measurement and reporting of business performance on which the financial services industry bases its investment decisions. This places a burden on organisations such as HSC/E to demonstrate why and how OHS is a material issue for the reputation of companies and for their business performance.

Surveys carried out by the Association of British Insurers (ABI) and Business in the Community (BITC) confirm that there is strong awareness of CSR issues, especially environmental concerns, amongst large businesses and widespread disclosure of performance on CSR issues, including OHS. However, disclosure tails off rapidly as the size of business decreases. Disclosure is greatest amongst businesses operating in industries where occupational safety is an issue, particularly those whose activities affect the safety of the public. This reflects the potential effect of OHS on the reputation of these businesses.

Amongst large businesses, disclosure is lowest amongst industries such as IT, financial services and distribution where occupational safety is less of an issue than occupational health. Occupational health is yet to become a significant issue for the reputation of these businesses. It is these industries in which employment is growing in the UK. The case for establishing OHS a material factor in business performance is yet to be established for most types of large business, even for industries that rely on human resources to drive performance and claim that their employees are their 'biggest asset'.

The Institute of Directors (IoD) has carried out an authoritative survey of the attitudes of SMEs to CSR. Unlike their larger counterparts, it is social rather than environmental concerns to which they give the greatest attention focussing on their impacts on local communities. The biggest influence on these businesses is their employees and customers. These businesses are influenced far less by CSR organisations and the Socially Responsible Investment (SRI) movement as they are less exposed to reputational risk and are less likely to be quoted companies. These businesses are driven to adopt good practices for CSR by the material impact on business performance. It is easier to see the material impact of the welfare of employees on business performance in the 'extended family' culture of these businesses

In promoting OHS in the CSR agenda, the organisations with which the HSC/E needs to work most closely are CSR organisations such as BITC, organisations concerned with SRI such as the ABI, National Association of Pension Funds (NAPF) and the UK Social Investment Forum (UKSIF), the safety organisations such as the Royal Society for the Prevention of Accidents (RoSPA) and Institution of Occupational Safety and Health (IOSH) and the business organisations such as the Confederation of British Industry, the Federation of Small Businesses and the IoD. The latter two are particularly important for influencing small businesses. The trade unions, who not only represent the interests of one of the main stakeholders in the business but also influence the SRI industry as trustees of pension funds, are especially important partners for HSC/E.

The Proposed Strategy

In support of HSC's 'Strategy for workplace health and safety in Great Britain to 2010 and beyond' (published in 2004) HSE has developed a coherent and cohesive programme of work comprising six strands. This study forms part of one of those strands. What this study shows that CSR should not be regarded by HSC/E as a separate vehicle for promoting OHS but as integral to its overall strategy. CSR is one of many external and internal influences on a business and in providing the business case for OHS it must show how it affects the range of factors. It must work also with other influencers of business including the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), Department for Works and Pensions (DWP) and the London Stock Exchange.

For the CSR movement to give OHS greater prominence it must be viewed as a material issue of reputational risk and business performance and/or an important element in the interaction of the business with employees. Ideally three conditions need to be fulfilled to enable this to happen:

HSC/E must demonstrate that OHS is a reputational risk issue for all types of business. For the reputational risk to be material, it needs to be shown that companies that fail to adequately address occupational safety and health are in danger of losing public trust with a consequent loss of profit and shareholder value. Public awareness is key to making OHS a material issue for reputational risk. The focus here should be that whilst HSC/E raises public awareness, especially of occupational health issues, HSE's Business Involvement Unit translates the message into CSR language to engage with the CSR movement.

HSC/E must demonstrate to the CSR movement that the business case for OHS is sufficient to be material to business performance overall. This is likely to include the influence it has on customers as well as on costs. The aim should be to bring together the diverse impacts that OHS has on business performance as a whole so that OHS is seen to have a material impact on profits. Currently, OHS's diverse impacts are considered individually and so the issue is not considered material.

OHS must be given greater prominence by employees - and those who represent them - in their interaction with employers. The trade union movement must be persuaded to broaden its vision for OHS beyond compliance to embrace the potential that engagement with employers on the CSR agenda holds for promoting OHS. As trustees of pension funds the trades unions also have an important and influential role to play in making SRI fund managers pay greater attention to OHS as a criteria for their investment decisions. The unions representing employees in industries where occupational health is the main threat to OHS have a special role to play in this respect.

Once these conditions are in place, then the HSC/E can assist the CSR movement in its role of influencing business effectively by extending the tools that it provides, such as a framework for evaluating OHS in relation to CSR, tools to measure performance and benchmark management practices, providing guidance on key risks and what constitutes good practice and recognising innovation. HSE's Business Involvement Unit needs to engage more closely with the rest of HSE to extend existing tools so that they are better suited to influencing the CSR agenda.

Health and Safety Executive - Research Report 339 Promoting health and safety as a key goal of the Corporate Social Responsibility agenda. Prepared by Technopolis Ltd and Emerging Markets Economics Ltd for the Health and Safety Executive. 2005 52 pages

www.hse.gov.uk/research/rrpdf/rr339.pdf

News from around the World

World No Tobacco Day May 31, 2005

Since 1988, World No Tobacco Day (WNTD) has been held on May 31. Created by the World Health Assembly, it is the only global event to call worldwide attention to the impact of tobacco on public health.

All over the world, WNTD is celebrated with media campaigns and special activities. Past themes have included tobacco-free workplaces, media and tobacco, and tobacco-free sports.

For 2005, the theme is 'Health professionals against tobacco - action and answers', and the slogan is 'The role of health professionals on tobacco'.

Tobacco: a global killer

The World Health Organization (WHO) predicts that by 2020, tobacco will become the leading cause of death and disability, killing more than 10 million people each year and causing more deaths than HIV, tuberculosis, maternal mortality, car accidents, suicide and homicide combined.

Health professionals- key role in prevention

  1. They help patients learn about the dangers of smoking and how to stop - especially those with tobacco-related illnesses.
  2. They warn children and teenagers about smoking-before they start.
  3. They influence and encourage tobacco control policies.

Find out more about World No Tobacco Day
Visit the World No Tobacco Day 2005 website to download WNTD publicity materials and read about how to organize your WNTD event.

Kindly sent by Canadian Health Network

News from Canada

Course Offers Information to Help Prevent Ergonomic Injuries

The Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) has created an e-learning course that offers information that can help prevent office ergonomic injuries.

Many office workers or those using a computer frequently have experienced a degree of discomfort or pain in their joints or muscles at one time or another. The e-course, Office Ergonomics, deals specifically with problems and injuries related to the use of computers and other office equipment, and provides a practical introduction to office ergonomics.

Office Ergonomics provides information for preventing pain and injury related to the pace of work, strain on joints and muscles and the effects of posture. These injuries are called Work-related Musculoskeletal Disorders (WMSD) and have a tendency to develop gradually, over time. They can range in severity from mild and temporary to debilitating and chronic.

Office Ergonomics provides office workers and young or new workers with the knowledge to help find solutions to ergonomic issues in their workplace. Safety professionals & human resources staff responsible for training & compliance will find the course content especially beneficial.

As with all of CCOHS' e-courses, Office Ergonomics is delivered over the Internet in an e-learning format that makes training easily accessible and cost effective. The course, complete with references, quizzes and an exam takes about 40 to 60 minutes to complete.

Office Ergonomics is the latest addition to CCOHS' roster of e-courses and is available in English. The French version is in production and is scheduled for release early June.

For further information, contact: Eleanor Irwin, Manager - Marketing, Sales and Communications, Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) | 905-572-2981, Ext. 4408 | Email: eleanori@ccohs.ca

From the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) Health and Safety Report. (Subscribe)

Solvent Exposure in Drycleaning Industry Prompts New OSHA Publication

The US Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) recently published new guidance to reduce worker exposure to organic chemical solvents used in the drycleaning industry. Reducing Worker Exposures to Perchloroethylene in Dry-Cleaning provides information on the health hazards and current regulations related to the solvent, and addresses best practices to minimize worker exposure. The document can be found at www.osha.gov/dsg/guidance/perc.html.

CCOHS OSH Answers

No exposure, no occupational asthma

No one really knows why occupational asthma affects a small percentage of workers and bypasses the rest. This respiratory disease is caused by certain dusts, fumes or vapours in the workplace that trigger an abnormal response in the worker's body. The worker may experience skin rashes, hay fever-like symptoms, or a combination of these symptoms.

The offending substance may be tobacco dust in a cigarette factory, tea dust in a tea plant, carmine at a cosmetics manufacturing plant, feathers in a plucking operation at a poultry plant, or the acrylates found in sealants and adhesives in an autobody shop, to name just a few. Occupational asthma has also been reported in the healthcare industry, in pharmaceutical plants, in the wood industry, and in just about any other industry with airborne substances. The medical community is aware of two main types of asthma: allergic, where antibodies attach to specific cells in the lung and react with the offending substance, and non-allergic, where repeated exposure to an industrial chemical causes leukotrienes and other substances to be released in the lungs, causing narrowing of air passages. Asthma may develop weeks, months or years after exposure to the irritant substances.

Recently, another type of asthma - reactive airways dysfunction syndrome (RADS) - has reared its head in the workplace. In RADS cases, symptoms of asthma may develop suddenly, within 24 hours following the inhalation of irritating substances such as smoke, dust, fumes and vapours. Afflicted workers often report symptoms by the end of the day. Symptoms may persist for months or years, when the sensitized person is re-exposed to irritants. RADS is still a relatively rare condition, and one that health and safety experts are still working to better understand.

Attacks of difficult breathing, tightness of the chest, coughing, and breath sounds such as wheezing, are often a tell-tale sign of occupational asthma. Typically these symptoms are worse on working days, often awakening the patient at night, and improving when the person is away from work. While off work, asthma sufferers may still have chest symptoms when exposed to airway irritants such as dusts, or fumes, or when they exercise. Itchy and watery eyes, sneezing, stuffy and runny nose, and skin rashes may also be associated with asthma.

Although there are drugs that may control the symptoms of asthma, it is important to stop exposure before breathing problems become permanent. A well-maintained, properly fitted dust mask or respirator can help to control workplace exposure, as can engineering controls such as ventilation, or proper training in how to handle chemicals, avoid spills and practise good housekeeping at work. The only way to ensure there will be no further exposure, however, is to change jobs, or to replace dangerous substances with less harmful ones.

To view the full OSH Answers document on occupational asthma, visit: www.ccohs.ca/oshanswers/diseases/asthma.html

Hardships of Heat: New Guide Offers Advice on Working in the Heat

Whether you work in an office without air conditioning or in a foundry, surrounded by vats of molten metal, working in a hot environment can be more than just unpleasant. It's a potential danger to your health.

How the human body responds to hot environments depends on several factors, including air temperature, relative humidity and air movement. How much heat is exchanged between the body and the environment also depends on our clothing, our general state of health and acclimatization, and our level of physical exertion - all of which are explained in detail in Working in Hot Environments: A Health and Safety Guide.

This 96-page publication by the Canadian Centre for Occupational Health and Safety (CCOHS) serves as a handy resource for health and safety committee members and representatives as well as supervisors, managers, engineers and other health and safety professionals.

Heat exposure can be controlled. The guide outlines how to use engineering and administrative controls for improving thermal comfort in the workplace, as well as recommended personal protective equipment and sample safe work practices.

A section on the different heat related illnesses, including heat strain and heat stroke, explains the seriousness of these potentially fatal conditions, how to recognize symptoms, and what to do if someone is exhibiting those symptoms.

The book guides the reader through health and safety law, outlining the employer's and the employee's rights and responsibilities when it comes to preventing heat stress. The reader will gain a good understanding of occupational exposure limits and thermal comfort guidelines under heat exposure standards, as well as how heat exposure is measured. A section on legislative authorities in Canada and the US lists contact information and web links for easy reference.

"The main purpose of this guide," say the authors, "is to emphasize the importance of developing safe work practices and implementing preventive measure to prevent and or minimize worker exposure to extreme heat."

A French-language edition of Working in Hot Environments: A Health and Safety Guide will be published this year.

www.ccohs.ca/products/publications/hot_enviro.html

Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program: Safety Quiz Instructions

US NIOSH invites you to challenge your fire fighters for safety and survival knowledge.

Print any one of the newest or any archived Fire Fighter Safety Quiz and post it at a visible location where you want fire fighters to think and learn about safety issues. (It's Bulletin Board ready!) We suggest rotating every 2 weeks to keep it fresh.

If you want the specific answer, or you want to view the full report, simply click on the individual publication listed with each question or go to the NIOSH fire fighter home website: www.cdc.gov/niosh/firehome.html for any relevant publication.

Suggestions for topics or improvement are always welcome.

Please check back every couple of weeks for a new quiz. www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/quizinstr.html

The European Union on your doorstep: new generation of information relays launched

From 1 May 2005 anyone looking for information about the EU can turn to a new set of local outlets called the "EUROPE DIRECT Information Network". The network, spread throughout the Union, takes over from the Info-Points Europe and Carrefours, which traditionally provided the public with facts and figures on EU-related matters to urban and rural areas respectively.

In a bid to streamline its information brands, the Commission has replaced the previous Info-Points with a single type of relay carrying the same "EUROPE DIRECT" label as the service that citizens can contact by phone and e-mail to get information about the Union in any one of the official EU languages.

The new information centres - about 400 in number, and for the first time also in the new member states - will offer a range of services, including guides to EU law, programmes and policies, treaty texts (including the European Constitution), a public feedback mechanism (a question, comment or opinion that a citizen would like to pass to the Commission in writing) and a freephone to the EUROPE DIRECT centre on 00800 6 7 8 9 10 11. Many will also provide a TV showing "Europe by Satellite", enabling the public to keep abreast of the latest EU news as it happens. The relays are typically chamber of commerce or local authorities.

The EUROPE DIRECT contact centre has been already operational since May 2000 and offers a free telephone and e-mail service (single free phone number 00800 6 7 8 9 10 11 and e-mail via http://europa.eu/europedirect/index_en.htm) which citizens can use from anywhere in the European Union. The service's increasing popularity is illustrated by the fact that in 2004 close to 80 000 citizens used the service, an increase of 60% on 2003. Current volumes of enquiries are at around 10 000-12 000 per month.

For more information see EUROPE DIRECT contact centre: http://europa.eu/europedirect/index_en.htm

News from the USA

Dear Colleague:

The May issue of LIFELINES ONLINE (Vol. I, No. 12) is available at the LHSFNA website. These are the headlines:

To view the stories and access our website, click www.lhsfna.org.

Please note that our website now features our online Publications Catalogue and an automated publications ordering system. In the Catalogue you can sort our publications by title, topic or format; read their short descriptions and view their covers. Then, with a personal password we supply, you can place orders that we will fill, notifying you by automated email upon your order's receipt and its shipment. If you need publications, please take advantage of our online system.

As always, we look forward to your feedback and comments on our website and LIFELINES ONLINE. We look forward to your feedback and comments.

Steve Clark, Communications Manager, Laborers' Health and Safety Fund of North America, 905 16th Street, NW, Washington, DC 20006, USA

News from the USA

NIOSH, Nanotechnology and Occupational Safety and Health Research. Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

This new website from NIOSH covers the following information

What is nanotechnology? Where did it come from, and how long has it been around?

Nanotechnology involves the manipulation of matter at nanometer length (one-billionth of a meter) scales to produce new materials, structures and devices. The U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI) defines a technology as nanotechnology only if it involves all of the following:

Nanostructured materials do not represent a new phenomenon. For example, the red and yellow hues in stained glass dating from medieval times result from the presence of nanometer-diameter gold and silver particles. However, the ability to probe, manipulate, understand and engineer matter at atomic scales has only recently come within our grasp. In a 1959 lecture titled "There's plenty of room at the bottom", the Nobel laureate Professor Richard P. Feynman introduced the idea of a new and exciting field of research based on manipulating matter at the atomic level. At the time, Professor Feynman's predictions were based on theoretical speculation. However, developments such as the invention of the Scanning Tunneling Microscope in 1981 have since made nanoscale science a reality. Nanotechnology is now a rapidly growing field of research and development that is cutting across many traditional boundaries.

What kinds of nanomaterials (nanoproducts) are in production or use in the U.S.?

An increasing number of products and materials are becoming commercially available. These include nanoscale powders, solutions and suspensions of nanoscale materials as well as composite materials and devices having a nanostructure. Nanoscale titanium dioxide for instance is finding uses in cosmetics, sun block creams and self-cleaning windows, and nanoscale silica is being used as a filler in a range of products, including dental fillings. Recently, a number of new or "improved" consumer products using nanotechnology have entered the market (such as stain and wrinkle-free fabrics incorporating "nanowhiskers" and longer-lasting tennis balls using butyl-rubber/nanoclay composites). Nano-coatings and nano-composites are being used in a wide range of consumer products from bicycles to automobiles. Further details on existing products can be found at www.nano.gov/html/facts/appsprod.html

Why is NIOSH conducting research on nanotechnology and occupational health?

NIOSH is conducting research on nanotechnology and occupational health within the scope of its mission to help answer questions that are critical for supporting the responsible development of nanotechnology and for advancing U.S. leadership in the competitive global market. These questions include: Are workers exposed to nanomaterials in the manufacture and use of nanomaterials, and if so what are the characteristics and levels of exposures? Are there potential adverse health effects of working with nanomaterials? What work practices, personal protective equipment, and engineering controls are available, and how effective are they for controlling exposures to nanomaterials? NIOSH is addressing these questions through a program of multi-disciplinary research, communication, and partnership with other agencies, organizations, and stakeholders.

What knowledge or expertise does NIOSH bring to this research?

NIOSH's role stems from its mission as the Federal institute that conducts research and makes recommendations in occupational safety and health. For more than 30 years, NIOSH has led research to define and address occupational health concerns related to emerging technologies and workplace practices. To its research on nanotechnology and occupational health, NIOSH brings:

How does the NIOSH research program relate to other government efforts associated with research and development in nanotechnology?

NIOSH is working in partnership with other government agencies primarily through participation in the U.S. National Nanotechnology Initiative, a federal R&D program established to coordinate the multiagency efforts in nanoscale science, engineering, and technology. The NNI is managed within the framework of the National Science and Technology Council (NSTC). NIOSH is a member of the NTSC's Nanoscale Science, Engineering, and Technology Subcommittee (NSET). Within that subcommittee, it co-chairs, with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the interagency Nanotechnology, Environmental and Health Implications (NEHI) Working Group. NIOSH's collaboration with other agencies includes a joint grant solicitation with the Environmental Protection Agency and the National Science Foundation to fund new research on questions of environmental and human health effects of manufactured nanomaterials.

How may workers be exposed to nanomaterials in the manufacture and use of nanoproducts?

In the U.S., an estimated 2 million people work with nanometer-diameter particles on a regular basis in development, production, and use of nanomaterials or products (based on year 2000 national industry-specific occupational employment estimates by the U.S. Department of Labor's Bureau of Labor Statistics). If growth in nanotechnology-related industries meets expectations, a similar number of additional workers will be required globally.

Nanomaterials that can be inhaled, ingested or that can penetrate the skin will likely raise questions of potential health effects. Processes that lead to airborne nanometer-diameter particles, respirable nanostructured particles (typically smaller than 4 micrometers) and respirable droplets of nanomaterial suspensions, solutions and slurries are of particular concern for potential inhalation exposures.

What effects do nanomaterials have on workers' health?

No conclusive data on engineered nanoparticles exist for answering that question, yet. Workers within nanotechnology-related industries have the potential to be exposed to uniquely engineered materials with novel sizes, shapes and physical and chemical properties, at levels far exceeding ambient concentrations. However, to understand the impact of these occupational exposures on workers' health, much research is still needed. NIOSH is pursuing advanced studies to answer key questions; for example: In what ways might employees be exposed to nanomaterials in manufacture and use? In what ways might nanomaterials enter the body during those exposures? Once in the body, where would the nanomaterials travel, and how would they interact physiologically and chemically with the body's systems? Will those interactions be harmless, or could they cause acute or chronic adverse effects? What are appropriate methods for measuring and controlling exposures to nanometer-diameter particles and nanomaterials in the workplace?

How should workplace exposures to nanomaterials be measured?

NIOSH researchers and their colleagues are pursuing research to address that question, which arises from the fact that nanomaterials differ in significant ways from traditional materials for which established measurement procedures and equipment exist. One factor involves instrumentation: in general, available devices and methods are not designed to take and analyze samples at the nano-scale. Another factor involves uncertainties regarding the appropriate parameters for sampling and analysis. Procedures for measuring traditional materials are based on the particles' mass and bulk chemistry as characteristics that most determine whether the material is likely to have adverse effects. For nanomaterials, current research suggests that mass and bulk chemistry may be less important than particle size, surface area and surface chemistry (or activity) as the most relevant parameters for measurements. NIOSH is evaluating potential methods and technologies for measuring exposures to airborne nanomaterials, such as instruments that measure particle number and surface area.

Should workplace exposures to nanomaterials be controlled, and if so, how?

Identifying appropriate control methods depends on knowing the characteristics of the nanomaterial, how exposures to nanomaterials can occur in the workplace, what are the potential effects of workplace exposure to a given material, and how can exposures to nanomaterials be measured accurately and reliably. By advancing research in these areas, NIOSH and its partners hope to generate new data for answering questions about controls.

What are potential applications of nanotechnology in occupational safety and health?

Nanotechnology holds great promise for society, and occupational safety and health is no exception. Engineered nanomaterials may support the development of high performance filter media, respirators, coatings in non-soiling/dust-repellant/self-cleaning clothes, fillers for noise absorption materials, fire retardants, protective screens for prevention of roof falls and curtains for ventilation control in mines, catalysts for emissions reduction, and clean-up of pollutants and hazardous substances. Nanotechnology-based sensors and communication devices may help in handling emergencies and in empowering workers to take preventative steps to reduce their exposure to risk of injury. The smallness of their size coupled with wireless technology may facilitate development of wearable sensors and systems for real time occupational safety and health management. Nanotechnology-based fuel cells, lab-on-chip analyzers and opto-electronic devices all have the potential to be useful in the safe, healthy and efficient design of work itself.

Where can I find more information about NIOSH's research pertaining to occupational health and nanotechnology? Where can I find additional information about the National Nanotechnology Initiative (NNI)?

More information on NIOSH's nanotechnology research program can be found at www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/nanotech. This is designed to be a robust source of information on NIOSH's research program, with new information added as it becomes available. More information on the NNI is available at www.nano.gov

New BOOK... Managing Health and Safety by Mike Bateman

Managing Health and Safety is a wide-ranging reference book to health and safety law for the busy manager. Written in a practical and accessible way by an experienced Health and Safety Consultant, who has also worked previously as an Inspector for the UK Health and Safety Executive, this handbook aimed at the UK practitioner enables users to gain a good understanding of the requirements of the law in relation to employees and others, but will be useful for practitioners elsewhere who need to have a firm grip on managing health and safety. Therefore it is an ideal reference for anyone whose role includes responsibility for health and safety.

This handbook demonstrates clearly and simply how to ensure a safe workplace, answering all your health and safety questions, such as:

Managing Health and Safety will show you how to:

This new ICSA Handbook is up-to date, to include:

Features include:

Contents include: law, managing health and safety, risk assessment requirements including COSHH assessments, Noise assessments, Manual handling assessments, Display screen equipment assessments, Assessment of personal protective equipment (PPE) requirements and Fire. Other important health and safety topics such as Work equipment, Electrical safety, Occupational health and first aid.

There are only 6 pages of "sources of information" and these are mainly devoted to the UK Health and Safety Executive - that now has a very limited publishing programme. Other organisations listed are limited to just a few. Given that the majority of occupational safety and health legislation comes from Europe - there are no European sources listed such as the Official Journal of the European Union nor the European Agency for Safety and Health at Work. Likewise the electronic publishers offer mainly Internet access to their ever-increasing information services, whilst still maintaining CD-ROMs for those who have problems with electronic access to sources that are updated daily. OSH information knows no country boundaries and there are some excellent sources available that should be cited in future editions of this useful book.

About the author
Mike Bateman is an experienced Health and Safety Consultant. He has previously worked as an Inspector for the Health and Safety Executive, as well as spending over 15 years as a Health and Safety Manager in industry. He formed his own consultancy in 1991 and has clients including industrial, commercial and public bodies of all sizes. He is a corporate member of the Institution of Occupational Safety and Health and a Registered Safety Practitioner.

Managing Health and Safety • Mike Bateman • ICSA Publishing • ISBN: 1860722970 • 352 pages • Published April 2005 • £49.95

ICSA Publishing, 16 Park Crescent, London W1B 1AH, UK | Tel: +44 (0) 20 7612 7020 | Fax: +44 (0) 20 7612 7034 | Email: icsa.pub@icsa.co.uk | www.icsapublishing.co.uk

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OSHE websites to explore

The following may be of interest to OSHE information seekers, if you have a favourite website please let me know... Also look at www.oshworld.com at the links under country and also under subject.

Hospital Infection Society   HIS UK
www.his.org.uk
Hospital Infection Society offers guidelines, publications including the Journal of Hospital Infection and related links.

Medical and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency   MHRA   UK
www.mhra.gov.uk
In April 2003, the UK Medical Devices Agency merged with the Medicines Control Agency to form the MHRA. This executive agency of the Department of Health produces a variety of bulletins and alerts including advice on single use items, bench top sterilisers and the decontamination of endoscopes. MHRA aim is protecting and promoting public health and patient safety by ensuring that medicines, healthcare products and medical equipment meet appropriate standards of safety, quality, performance and effectiveness, and are used safely.

National Institute for Clinical Excellence   NICE   UK
www.nice.org.uk
The UK National Institute for Clinical Excellence (NICE) produced Standard principles for prevention of hospital acquired infection and in 2003, Infection control - prevention of health care associated infection in primary and community care.

National Patient Safety Agency   NPSA   UK
www.npsa.nhs.uk
The UK National Patient Safety Agency (NPSA) has developed the cleanyourhands campaign which targets hand hygiene as a key patient safety issue. www.npsa.nhs.uk/cleanyourhands

Safer Needles Network   UK
www.saferneedles.org.uk
Safer Needles Now! has been established by the Safer Needles Network to promote the full implementation of the new Department of Health guidance designed to minimise needlestick injuries in the NHS. The Safer Needles Network aims to assist in the reduction in the number of needlestick injuries.

USA

Federation of Drug & Alcohol Professionals   FDAP   USA
www.drinkanddrugs.net
Federation of Drug & Alcohol Professionals (FDAP) is the web portal for substance misuse specialists and those in the wider health, social care and criminal justice fields who deal with drug and alcohol issues in the course of their work. It is also the website for the fortnightly magazine Drink and Drugs News. This site gives access to latest news, training, research and guidance for practitioners and line managers, feature articles on drugs and alcohol issues Federation of Drug & Alcohol Professionals (FDAP), in association with Wired (research, training and consultancy).

National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety NIOSH   Office health and safety guide   USA
www.cdc.gov/niosh/topics/officeenvironment/officeenvironment.html
National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety NIOSH topic page on office health and safety. It advises that maintaining a healthy office environment requires attention to chemical hazards, equipment and work station design, physical environment (temperature, humidity, light, noise, ventilation, and space), task design, psychological factors (personal interactions, work pace, job control) and sometimes, chemical or other environmental exposures. A well-designed office allows each employee to work comfortably without needing to over-reach, sit or stand too long, or use awkward postures (correct ergonomic design). Includes links to NIOSH publications and online resources, covering issues including carbonless copy paper, ergonomics, indoor air quality, stress, women and work hazards and work schedules.

National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety   NIOSH   Fire Fighter Fatality Investigation and Prevention Program: Safety Quiz Instructions   USA
 www.cdc.gov/niosh/fire/quizinstr.html
National Institute for Occupational Health and Safety NIOSH invites you to challenge your fire fighters for safety and survival knowledge. Print any one of the newest or any archived Fire Fighter Safety Quiz and post it at a visible location where you want fire fighters to think and learn about safety issues. (It's Bulletin Board ready!) We suggest rotating every 2 weeks to keep it fresh. If you want the specific answer, or you want to view the full report, simply click on the individual publication listed with each question or go to the NIOSH fire fighter home website: www.cdc.gov/niosh/firehome.html for any relevant publication. Suggestions for topics or improvement are always welcome. Please check back every couple of weeks for a new quiz.

Diary of Events

If you have details of any conferences, seminars, training courses and events then please send to your Editor.

You can also check and please use any of the information in www.oshworld.com/diary.html

12-14 September 2005 - Research and Standardization in the field of development and use of personal protective equipment: an international conference
Cracow, Poland
Contact: Organizing Committee, CIOP PIB - Central Institute for Labour Protection - National Research Institute, Wierzbowa 48, 90-133 Lodz, Poland | Tel: ++ 22 623 36 78 | Email: katul@ciop.pl or kaboc@copi.lodz.pl

29 November 2005 - EurOhse Masterclass on Fire Risk Assessment and Business Continuity, Planning and Management
Held in conjunction with the 3rd EurOhse Conference organised by Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd and Angel Business Communications Ltd
Stratford Manor Hotel, Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire, UK
Contact: Stephen Whitehurst, European Occupational Health and Safety Magazine (EurOhs), Angel Business Communications Ltd | 34 Warwick Road, Kenilworth CV8 1HE, Warwickshire, UK | Tel: +44 (0)1926 512424 | Fax: + 44 (0)1926 512948 | Email: sv@angelbc.co.uk

30 November 2005 - 1 December 2005 - EurOhse2005: creating a winning OSH culture
3rd EurOhse Conference organised by Sheila Pantry Associates Ltd and Angel Business Communications Ltd
Stratford Manor Hotel, Stratford-on-Avon, Warwickshire, UK
Contact: Stephen Whitehurst, European Occupational Health and Safety Magazine (EurOhs), Angel Business Communications Ltd | 34 Warwick Road, Kenilworth CV8 1HE, Warwickshire, UK | Tel: +44 (0)1926 512424 | Fax: + 44 (0)1926 512948 | Email: sv@angelbc.co.uk

15-18 February 2006 - 7th International Specialized exhibition Telogreyka and Conferences
Labour Safety in different industries and also a Scientific and practical conference Perspective development of professional clothes
Sokolniki Culture and Exhibition Centre, Moscow, Russia
Contact: Marina Kruglova, Telogreyka, Moscow, Russia | Tel: +7 095 995 05 94 | Email: kmm@mvk.ru | www.telogreyka.ru

CIS Annual Meeting 2005 in Orlando, USA

CIS is planning to hold its 2005 Annual Meeting in connection with the The XVIIth World Congress on Safety and Health at Work, as it has been the tradition, which will be held on 18-22 September 2005 in Orlando, USA. The CIS Meeting will take place on Sunday 18 September 2005.

We take the opportunity to encourage CIS Centres to participate and to contact CIS headquarters to confirm.

Remember that to gain entry into the USA you will need to get your visa applications in very early. The Web site http://travel.state.gov/visa/visa_1750.html give all the details about visa requirements.